Grappling unit



`lan. 6, 1953 c. w. KNAPP 2,624,611

GRAPPLING UNIT Filed June 27. 1952 1N VEN TOR. c ARLES w. KNAPP Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAPPLING UNIT Charles W. Knapp, Oxford, Kans.

Application June 27, 1952, Serial No. 296,019

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a grappling unit, and more particularly to such unit for grappling pipes, rods and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a grappling unit which is readily applied to the object to be grasped, and which is self locking.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a grappling unit which is capable of tenaciously gripping an object of circular cross section.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a grappling unit which is simple in structure, and highly efcient in action.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the self locking grappling unit of the present invention in closed position and embracingly engaging a pipe.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view taken from the right-hand side of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan-view ofthe Vassembly of Figure v1.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 44-.4 of Figure 2'.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5.,-.5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates a rst half crescent shaped open ended housing, the housing including a top Wall Il, a bottom wall I2, and spaced side walls I3, I3' connecting the top and bottom walls Il and I2. Thebottom wall I2 extends inwardly from one of the open ends of the housing ID and terminates at a point spaced lfrom the other of the open ends of the housing I0 and forms a shoulder I4. The top wall II has an outwardly dished portion I which extends inwardly from the other open end of the housing I0 and terminates adjacent the mid-point of the top wall II. The side Walls I3, I3 of the housing IIJ are formed with opposed arcuate slots I6, I6', which are below and spaced from the dished portionY I5 and are adjacent the other open end of the housing I0. A stub shaft II extends transversely through and is supported in the slots I6, I'G, for-limited longitudinal movement, the portion of the shaft II intermediate the side walls I3, I3', carrying a roller I8. Positioned exteriorly of the top wall II and pivotally connected to the housing I0 intermediate its open ends is a pull loop I9. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, an upstanding lug extends through an aperture 2I formed in the dished portion I5 of the topwall II of the housing I0 and has on its lower end a sleeve.. 22 which is supported on a pin 23 extending transversely through the Aside walls I3, I3', contiguous to and spaced from the aperture 2|. The upper end of the lug is exteriorly of the dished portion I5 of the topwall II of the housing I0 and is provided with a hole 24 in which is pivotally supported the pull loop I9.

A second half crescent shaped. open ended housing 25 including a top wall 26 and a bottom wall 21 is positioned interlockingly within and is rollably supported in the housing I0 and forms with the housing Ill a grapple, one of the open ends of the housing 25 being within and adjacent to the one open end of the housing ID and the other of the open ends being exteriorly of the other open end of the housing Ill. A second rotatable roller 28 is arranged transversely of and within the housing 25 adjacent the one end of the latter -housing and has a portion projecting below the bottom wall of the housing 25. It is to be noted that the roller I 8 rollably engages the top wall of the housing 25, while the roller 28 rollably engages the bottom wall I2 of thehousing` IU.

Projecting from the exterior surface portionof the bottom wall 2l of the housing25 adjacent the upper open end of the latter housing is an abutment strip 29 which is engageable with. the shoulder I4 and limits the movement of the housing 25 relative to the housing I0. A handle 30 projects exteriorly of the top wall '26 of the housing 25 adjacent the other open end of the latter housing and serves as a means for moving K the housing 25 relative to the housing IIJ' In operation of the grappling unit of the present invention, the operator grasp's the handle 30 and exerts a force upon the handle inthe direction to cause the housing 25' to be moved within the housing` Ii) until the abutment strip 29 engages the shoulder I4. While holding the unit in this position it is placed upon the top portion of a pipe A, whereupon the handle is released. The release of the handle 30 causes the housing 25 to be moved by gravity out of the housingV I0 and automatically assume a self-locking position about the pipe A. The roller I8 by virtue of the mounting of its shaft I'I in the slots I6, IB' in the housing I wedgingly bears lagainst the top wall of the housing 25, causing the portion of the housing 25 beyond the shoulder I4 ofthe housing I0 to be pressed downwardly toward the pipe A and the abutment strip 29 into frictional engagement with the adjacent portion of the pipe. The roller I8 is held in wedging engagement With the housing 25 by means of the force directed from the load upon the inner Wall of the housing 25 tending to rotate the housing 25 counterclock- Wise about the roller 28 as a pivot and thereby hold the pin Il in frictional engagement with the upper portions of the slots I6, I E'. At this point, an upwardly directed force is applied to the loop I9, resulting in the bottom wall i2 of the housing I and the abutment strip 29 on the bottom wall of the housing 25 to tenaciously seize and embracingly grip the portion of the pipe A therebetween, enabling the pipe to be lifted and conveyed to any desired rpoint or location.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A grappling unit comprising a first half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top wall and a bottom wall extending inwardly from one of the open ends and terminating at a point nected to said rst housing for limited longitudinal sliding` movement and forming with said first housing a grapple, one of the open ends of said second housing being within and adjacent to said one open end of said first housing and the other of the open ends being exteriorly of said other open end of said first housing, an abutment strip projecting from the exterior surface portion of the bottom wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end of the latter housing and engageable with said shoulder for limiting the movement of said second housing relative to said first housing, and a pull loop exteriorly of the top Wall of said first housing and pivotally connected to the last named housing intermediate its open ends.

2. A grappling unit comprising a first half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top wall and a bottom wall extending inwardly from one of the open ends and terminating at a point spaced from the other of the open ends and forming a shoulder, a rotatable roller arranged transversely of Vand within said housing between the top and bottom walls of the latter intermediate said shoulder and the other open end of said housing and connected to said housing for limited longitudinal sliding movement, a second half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top wall and a bottom wall positioned interlockingly within and movably supported in said first housing and forming with said first housing a grapple, one of the open ends of said second housend of said first housing and the other of the open ends being exteriorly of said other open end of said first housing, a second rotatable roller arranged transversely of and within said second housing adjacent the said one open end of the latter housing and having a portion projecting below the bottom wall of said second housing, said rst roller rollably engaging the top wall of said second housing and said second roller rollably engaging the bottom wall of said first housing, an abutment strip projecting from the exterior surface portion of the bottom wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end of the latter housing and engageable with said shoulder for limiting the movement of said second housing relative to said first housing, and a pull loop exteriorly of the top wall of said first housing and pivotally connected to the last named housing intermediate its open ends.

3. A grappling unit comprising a first half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top wall and a bottom wall extending inwardly from one of the open ends and terminating at a point spaced from the other of the open ends and forming a shoulder, a rotatable roller arranged transversely of and within said housing between the top and bottom walls of the latter intermediate said shoulder and the other open end of said housing and connected to said housing for limited longitudinal sliding movement, a second half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top wall and a bottom wall positioned interlockingly Within and movably supported in said first housing and forming with said first housing a grapple, one of the open ends of said second housing being within and adjacent to said one open end of said first housing and the other of the open ends being exteriorly of the said other open end of said rst housingl a second rotatable roller arranged transversely of and within said second housing adjacent to said one open end of the latter housing and having a portion projecting below the bottom wall of said second housing, said first roller rollably engaging the top Wall of said second housing and said second roller rollably engaging the bottom wall of said first housing, an abutment strip projecting from the exterior surface portion of the bottom wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end of the latter housing and engageable with said shoulder for limiting the movement of said second housing relative to said first housing, a handle projecting exteriorly of the top wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end thereof for moving said second housing relative to said rst housing, and a pull loop exteriorly of the top wall of said first housing and pivotally connected to the last named housing intermediate its open ends.

4. A grappling unit comprising a first half crescent shaped open ended housing includingl a top wall, a bottom wall, and spaced lside walls connecting the top and botom walls, said bottom wall extending inwardly from one of the open ends and terminating at a point spaced from the other of the open ends and forming a shoulder, there being opposed arcuate slots formed in the side walls of said rst housing below and spaced from the top wall adjacent said other open end of the latter housing, a rotatable roller arranged transversely of and within said housing between the top and bottom walls of the latter intermediate said shoulder and the other open end of said housing and connected to opposed slots of said housing for limited longitudinal sliding movement, a second half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top Wall and a bottom wall positioned interlockingly within and movably supported in said first housing and forming with said first housing a grapple, one of the open ends of said second housing being within and adjacent to said one open end of said first housing and the other of the open ends being exteriorly of said other open end of said first housing, a second rotatable roller arranged transversely of and within said second housing adjacent to said one open end of the latter housing and having a portion projecting below the bottom wall of said second housing, said first roller rollably engaging the top wall of said second housing and said second roller rollably engaging the bottom wall of said first housing, an abutment strip projecting from the exterior surface of the portion of the bottom wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end of the latter housing engageable with said shoulder for limiting the movement of said second housing relative to said rst housing, a handle projecting exteriorly of the top wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end thereof for moving said second housing relative to said first housing, and .a pull loop exteriorly of the top wall of said rst housing and pivotally connected to the last named housing intermediate its open ends.

5. A grappling unit comprising a rst half crescent shaped open ended housing includingI a top Wall and a bottom wall extending inwardly from one of the open ends and terminating at a point spaced from the other of the open ends and forming a shoulder, a second half crescent shaped open ended housing including a top wall and a bottom wall. positioned interlockingly within and movably supported in said irst housing and forming with said first housing a grapple, one of the open ends of said second housing being within and adjacent to said one open end of said first housing and the other of the open ends being exteriorly of said other open end of said rst housing, a rotatable roller arranged transversely of and 6 within and carried by said first housing intermediate said shoulder and the other open end of the last named housing and rollably engaging the bottom wall of said second housing, a second rotatable roller arranged transversely of and within and carried by said second housing and having a portion projecting below the bottom wall of said second housing and rollably engaging the bottom wall of said rst housing, an abutment strip projecting from the exterior surface portion of the bottom wall of said second housing adjacent said other open end of the latter housing and engageable with said shoulder for limiting the movement of said lsecond housing relative to said first housing, and a pull loop exteriorly of the top wall of said rst housing and pivotally connected to the last named housingintermediate its open ends.

CHARLES W. KNAPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 901,925 Thompson Oct. 20, 1908 2,298,145 Merrylees Oct. 6, 1942 2,475,367 Avery July 5, 1949 

